Opinions on Shop Fox equipment

[Mark Buchanan]

I am unfamiliar with Shop Fox but it looks identical to Grizzly. I would like to have some opinions from owners with hands on experience. I am considering the cabinet saw with slider. http://www.woodstockint.com/SHOP-FOX-10-Sliding-Table-Saw-5HP-Single-Phase/W1811/


T (http://www.woodstockint.com/SHOP-FOX-10-Sliding-Table-Saw-5HP-Single-Phase/W1811/)hanks
Mark

[Craig McCormick]

Shop Fox is the retail label of Grizzly.

AZCRAIG

[Steven Hsieh]

Grizzly and Shop Fox are manufactured in same building. Just made to different required specs.

[David Kumm]

I don't believe there are manufacturing differences with Grizzly but you are paying a little extra for dealer support. The negative I see to the saw you are looking at relates to the support legs on the saw. Most sliders are stout enough to not need those so I would check out the machine in person to verify it is built as heavy as you desire. A slider that doesn't hold settings when you drop plywood on it is a bad deal. I believe others here have been happy with them. My preference is for a heavier used. Dave

[Bruce Wrenn]

Shop Fox parts are only available through their dealer network. Over at NC Woodworker a couple years back was a thread on this subject. Owner finally gave up on parts and bought another brand of machine. I don't remember the exact part he needed, but it was an inexpensive part, but a PITA to get.

[Ernie Miller]

Shop Fox parts are only available through their dealer network. Over at NC Woodworker a couple years back was a thread on this subject. Owner finally gave up on parts and bought another brand of machine. I don't remember the exact part he needed, but it was an inexpensive part, but a PITA to get.

That might have been me. The machine was a dust collector that needed a start capacitor. Shouldn't have been a big deal to order one - but it was. Many of my machines are ShopFox (table saw, band saw, ex-dust collector, 12" disk sander). I have no real issues with any of them, but if I had it to do over again, I would have bought Grizzly. Having to order parts through a local dealer (mine went out of business) is a royal pain. With Grizzly, you just call them up and order on the phone. By the way, I did replace the dust collector with a Grizzly.

[david brum]

I have a Shop Fox cabinet saw, 17" band saw and 8" jointer. They are all fine pieces of equipment with no major issues. The table saw and band saw required a few phone calls to customer service. They always took good care of me, I think even better than Grizzly because I was usually talking to the same person at Shop Fox.

If you need a part, you can always order it from Grizzly.

[Ernie Miller]

If you need a part, you can always order it from Grizzly.

I tried that on several occasions. While the machines are pretty much copies of one another, some small parts (bolts, etc.) are not interchangeable. Why? Who knows.

[scott spencer]

I've been very happy with my Shop Fox W1677 3hp cabinet saw....it's a white version of the Grizzly G1023SL. When the saw was new there was a minor issue with the fence...I dealt directly with Shop Fox's CS and was very pleased with their handling of it.

[Mike Heidrick]

I see no reason not to just deal with Grizzly and have the tool brought to your shop if thats the tool you want. At least Papa Griz can help you out here directly.

[Dave Lehnert]

I am surprised that Grizzly would not take care of you directly if needing a part you can't get from a dealer.

I would also be surprised if you called Shopfox CS you are not talking to the same Grizzly CS people.

[Ernie Miller]

I am surprised that Grizzly would not take care of you directly if needing a part you can't get from a dealer.

I would also be surprised if you called Shopfox CS you are not talking to the same Grizzly CS people.

All they can do is give you a list of dealers that can order parts for you.

[Cary Falk]

AS stated in previous posts. Shop Fox is the retail side of Grizzly. You usually pay more for the extra year of warranty. The machines are usually copies of each other with very minor changes like knobs and sometimes minor features. I puurchased the 8" jointer a couple of years ago because I could get it cheaper then the G0490. I am happy with it. The fit and finish on my jointer was not quite as good as my Grizzly stuff. Mostly it was chipped paint and stuff. Nothing mechanical. I would buy Shop Fox again if the price was right.

[ed vitanovec]

I have a Shopfox 8" jointer and the quality and performance is great. When I bought the jointer it had a 2 year warranty and I think all the larger tools may still have a 2 year warranty. The sliding table saw you are looking at is mostly identical to the Grizzly G0623X. I have had the Grizzly version for 2 1/2 years now and am very happy with it. If you search this forum for reviews you will find several happy owners of the Grizzly G0623X. When I bought mine the Shopfox version was about $700 more. If you have any questions about my Grizzly G0623X you are more than welcome to ask.

Regards!
Ed

[Glen Butler]

I have the shop fox molder. I nearly identical knock off to Williams & Hussey. I am impressed with the machine. Can't say much for customer service. Never dealt with them.

[Rick Fisher]

Funny.. I have ordered parts under warranty from Shop Fox and they could not send them fast enough.. They are actually called Woodstock International.

I have 2 Shop Fox machines and 2 x General International machines.. IMO they are the same quality ..

[scott spencer]

I see no reason not to just deal with Grizzly and have the tool brought to your shop if thats the tool you want. At least Papa Griz can help you out here directly.

Shop Fox has a 2 year warranty vs 1 year, so if prices are close Shop Fox can have some advantage...there's also dealer support available in many situations.

[Guy Belleman]

...on the East Coast, especially in North Carolina. A couple of dealers carry that brand and seem to do well with it. I came very close to getting the W1811 a few years ago, but decided on the G0690 instead. Just need the bigger saw, although the sliding table would have been nice.

Good luck.

[mickey cassiba]

At my last job, we were selling SF machinery...part of my job was to assist the buyers in setting up the equipment and assisting with warranty issues. Their CS is excellent, although packaging and shipping was a little less than perfect. My main contact was Andrew in CS, I could describe the issue, and parts were on the way immediately. IMO way better than the 'new' Delta, or even Grizz(sorry Shiraz). Were I in the market for shop machinery, they would have my business.

[Matt Winterowd]

The reason I bought a Shop Fox 8" jointer instead of the Griz was that for the same price (including shipping charges), I got an extra year of warranty and the dealer assembled and tested the machine before lifted a finger.

[Steve H Graham]

I bought a used Shop Fox band saw that was missing the pin that makes the table halves level. Whatever it's called. I called Shop Fox, and they told me to call Grizzly. I forget the reason. Anyway, same part.

[Bill White]

Go Grizz and don't look back.
Bill

[Mark Engel]

Like Ed, I have the Grizzly G0623X. I believe it is identical to the W1811 except for the colors. I have had the saw for a few months now and it has been a great to work with.

The W1811 can be had for around $3566, shipped, with a 2 year warranty. The G0623X is $2895 + $$144 s&h = $3069 with a one year warranty.

Is an extra one year of warranty worth $500 to you?

[scott spencer]

Go Grizz and don't look back.
Bill

Why not consider Shop Fox and others when it makes sense?